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| United States Patent |
6,231,390
|
|
Chang
|
May 15, 2001
|
Connector for use in portable phone
Abstract
An electrical connector of the present invention for use in a portable
phone comprises an elongate insulative housing (1), a plurality of
contacts (2) and a shield (3). The housing includes a first receptacle
portion (11), a second receptacle portion (12), a barrier (13) separating
the first receptacle portion from the second receptacle portion, and a
pair of arms (14). Each receptacle portion defines a plurality of contact
receiving passageways (101) therethrough for receiving contacts. The first
and second receptacle portions can optionally connect with a single plug
or with two plugs (one signal plug, one DC power recharging plug) at the
same time.
| Inventors:
|
Chang; Yao-Hao (Chung-Ho, TW)
|
| Assignee:
|
Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd. (Taipei Hsien, TW)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
461518 |
| Filed:
|
December 14, 1999 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Oct 21, 1999[TW] | 088217919 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
439/607 |
| Intern'l Class: |
H01R 013/648 |
| Field of Search: |
439/607
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 4938704 | Jul., 1990 | Fujiura | 439/607.
|
| 5685739 | Nov., 1997 | Davis et al. | 439/607.
|
| 5800207 | Sep., 1998 | Hsu et al. | 439/607.
|
| 5980320 | Nov., 1999 | Slack et al. | 439/607.
|
Primary Examiner: Luebke; Renee
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Chung; Wei Te
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical connector comprising:
an insulative housing comprising a first receptacle portion, a second
receptacle portion and a barrier separating the first receptacle portion
from the second receptacle portion, each receptacle portion defining a
plurality of contact receiving passageways therethrough, a respective
first positioning slot being defined between each receptacle portion and
the barrier;
a plurality of contacts received in the contact receiving passageways, each
contact including an engaging section extending beyond a frontsurface of a
corresponding receptacle portion, a transition section received in a
corresponding contact receiving passageway, and a solder tail extending
out of a rear surface of the corresponding receptacle portion for
soldering to a printed circuit board; and
a shield enclosing the housing and having a locking aperture on a top plate
thereof above each positioning slot, a respective second positioning slot
being defined between each receptacle portion and one of two side plates
of the shield.
2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flange
projects from an upper lateral side of each receptacle portion of the
housing to assure correct insertion of a mating plug connector.
3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing
forms a pair of arms on two opposite sides, each arm having a front face
forming a notch therein and a rear face, and wherein a side plate of the
shell forms a locking tab for engaging with the notch and an integral
retaining tab for abutting against the rear face.
4. An electrical connector comprising:
an insulative housing defining a first receptacle portion, a second
receptacle portion and a barrier aligned with one another, said barrier
intermediating between the first receptacle portion and the second
receptacle portion;
a number of signal contacts disposed in the first receptacle portion, and a
number of power contacts disposed in the second receptacle portion;
a shield enclosing the housing and abutting against opposite top and bottom
surfaces of the housing while front portions of the first receptacle
portion, the second receptacle portion and the barrier project beyond a
front edge of the shield, wherein an engaging section of each of said
contacts extends flush with a front face of a corresponding receptacle
portion and is exposed to an exterior; and
a first positioning slot formed between the first receptacle portion and
the shield, a second positioning slot formed between the first receptacle
portion and the barrier, a third positioning slot formed between the
second receptacle portion and the barrier, and a fourth positioning slot
formed between the second receptacle portion and the shield.
5. The connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein four locking apertures are
formed in an upper portion of the shield in alignment with said first,
second, third and fourth positioning slots, respectively.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector, and particularly to a
composite connector used in a portable phone for connection with mating
connectors for transmitting signals and for connecting to a DC power
recharger.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As the communication industry develops, the functions and use of portable
phones is being improved day by day. Accordingly, the trend in connectors
used in portable phones is to integrate many functions in one connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,660 discloses a prior art connector as shown in FIG.
9. This prior art connector comprises an insulative housing 6 having a
rectangular connection recess 611 extending rearward from a front surface
61. A flat connector 612 and a pair of RF terminals 613 are arranged
within the connection recess 611. The flat connector 612 includes an
insulation plate 6121 and signal terminals 7 on upper and lower surfaces
of the insulation plate 6121. The RF terminals 613 are disposed on
opposite sides of the flat connector. A pair of metallic reinforcing
members 614 is provided on opposite sides of the connection recess 611,
not only to reinforce the thin upper wall of the connection recess 611,
but also to serve as power terminals for recharging the portable phone, by
means of a charger. The connector is also provided with a DC jack 615,
which is accessible from the front surface 61. Battery terminals 8 project
diagonally upwardly from the upper left sidewall of the housing 6 for
contacting a battery within the portable phone. An integrated mating
connector is required to mate with the plate connector 612 and the RF
terminals 613, and it is impossible to use two small size, optional use
connectors with this prior art connector. In addition, when the battery is
being charged the flat connector and the RF terminals 613 can not be used
at the same time, which does not facilitate the consumer's use of the
portable phone. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to
overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a connector for a portable
phone which is thin and which can support many functions.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a connector for a
portable phone which can be alternately or simultaneously connected with
mating plug connectors connected to a signal transmitting cable and to a
DC power recharger cable.
A connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an
insulative housing, a plurality of contacts and a shield. The housing
includes a first receptacle portion, a second receptacle portion and a
barrier separating the first receptacle portion from the second receptacle
portion. Each receptacle portion defines a plurality of contact receiving
passageways therethrough. A pair of positioning slots is defined beside
each receptacle portion. Each contact includes an engaging section, a
transition section and a solder tail. The shield encloses the housing and
has a locking aperture on a top plate thereof above each positioning slot
for locking a mating plug connector in secure connection with a
corresponding receptacle portion.
Other objects, advantages and novel feature of the invention will become
more apparent from the following detailed description of the present
embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a rear view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembled electrical connector of FIG.
1 and a first plug to be attached thereto;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the assembled electrical connector of FIG.
1 and a second plug to be attached thereto;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled electrical connector of FIG.
1 and first and second plugs to be attached thereto; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electrical connector of the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1-5, an electrical connector in accordance with the
present invention comprises an insulative housing 1, a plurality of
contacts 2 and a shield 3. The elongate housing 1 comprises a first
receptacle portion 11, a second receptacle portion 12, a rectangular
barrier 13 separating the first receptacle portion 11 from the second
receptacle portion 12, and a pair of arms 14. Each receptacle portion 11,
12 defines a plurality of contact receiving passageways 101 therethrough
for receiving the contacts 2. In the embodiment shown of the present
invention, the first receptacle portion 11 receives seven contacts 2 for
transmitting signals and the second receptacle portion 12 receives three
contacts 2 for connection to a DC power recharger. A flange 102 is formed
on an upper portion of each lateral side of each receptacle portion 11, 12
to assure correct insertion of a mating plug connectors 4, 5 (see FIGS.
6-7). Positioning slots 103 and 104 are defined between the barrier 13 and
each receptacle portion 11, 12. The housing 1 forms a pair of arms 14 on
two opposite sides, each arm 14 having a front face 141 and a rear face
142. A notch 140 is defined in the front face 141 of each arm 14.
Each contact 2 is the same in shape and comprises an engaging section 21
extending at a front surface (not labeled) of an associated receptacle
portion 11, 12, a transition section 22 received in the corresponding
contact receiving passageway 101, and a solder tail 23 extending out of a
rear surface (not labeled) of the associated receptacle portion 11,12 for
soldering to a printed circuit board (not shown).
The shield 3 has a shape and size suitable for enclosing the housing 1 and
has a top plate 31, a bottom plate 32 and opposite side plates 33. A
positioning slot 105 is defined between the first receptacle portion 11
and left side plate 33 of the shield 3 and a positioning slot 106 is
defined between the second receptacle portion 12 and right side plate 33
of the shield 3. A locking aperture 311 is defined in the top plate 31
above each positioning slot 103, 104, 105, 106. A locking tab 331 is
formed in each side plate 33 for engaging with the notch 140 of a
corresponding arm 14. Each side plate 33 has an integral retaining tab 332
at a rearward end thereof. In assembly, the locking tabs 331 snap into the
notches 140 and the retaining tabs 332 are inwardly bent and abut against
the rear faces 142 of the arms 14 of the housing 1, so that the housing 1
is fixedly retained in the shield 3.
Referring to FIGS. 6-8, each of a signal plug connector 4 and a DC power
recharger plug connector 5 is provided with a pair of guiding arms 41, 51
on a mating face (not labeled) thereof for inserting into corresponding
positioning slots 103, 105; 104, 106. A locking barb 42, 52 is provide on
a distal end of each guiding arm 41, 51. Each locking barb 42, 52 is
moveably, controllably retractable into a corresponding guiding arm 41,
51. Retraction of a pair of locking barbs 42, 52 into a corresponding pair
of guiding arms 41, 51 is controlled by a button 43, 53 of each plug
connector 4, 5. When connecting the signal plug connector 4 with the first
receptacle portion 11, the button 43 is pressed to cause the two locking
barbs 42 to retract into the guiding arms 41, allowing the guiding arms 41
to be inserted into the correspond positioning slots 105, 103. The button
43 is then released to release the two locking barbs 42, allowing them to
engage with the locking apertures 311, so that the signal plug connector 4
is firmly connected with the portable phone in which the electrical
connector of the present invention is mounted. In a similar manner, the DC
power plug connector 5 can be connected with the portable phone when
needed. The signal plug connector 4 and the DC power plug recharger
connector 5 can be connected with the portable phone at the same time, if
needed, to facilitate use by the consumer.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics
and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the
foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function
of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be
made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of
parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated
by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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